


a gift hidden in the snow

by psharp10



Category: EXO (Band), Korean Musical Actors RPF
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi, Platonic Relationships, The Man Who Laughs - Korean Musical
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-03-09 18:07:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18922309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/psharp10/pseuds/psharp10
Summary: three snippets of junmyeon and some of the actors he acted alongside (and was cast alongside) for the musical 'the man who laughs,' how he finds his place in the industry and with the people





	a gift hidden in the snow

**Author's Note:**

> happy birthday junmyeon! please do more musicals, ily  
> min kyungah was cast as dea (alongside lee subin)  
> park kanghyun was cast as gwynplaine (like junmyeon and park hyoshin)  
> jung sunghwa was also one of the castings for ursus
> 
> mature bc of a hint at blowjob although nothing *that* explicit really? but to be on the safe side?

when junmyeon gets casted for the man who laughs and arrives at the first read through, he finds himself sitting between park hyoshin and park kanghyun and feels so overwhelmed that his palms get too sweaty and it takes him at least four tries before he’s able to open the bottle of water kept in front of him.

he somehow gets through it with just minimal mistakes and makes sure to bow 90 degrees when leaving for his next schedule—back to exo, back to being a leader, his well worn skin draped back on.

when practices begin, he finds himself sticking next to kyungah the best that he can—it’s not that he is shy when meeting new people, but in an environment that is still partly unfamiliar, and filled with so many respected seniors, he feels more comfortable with someone he knows pretty well.

kyungah, for the most part, accepts him easily, teasing him softly and ruffling his hair when he gets too tired, words slipping on his tongue. with her, it’s easier to get closer, more comfortable, with the other seniors.

somewhere between endless practices, shirts dripping with sweat as they sing their hearts out, hold each other close and go through a number of emotions in just a few hours, junmyeon finds a piece of his heart falling in kyungah’s hands.

he looks at her as her voice soars, fills the practice room, and the smile that blooms on his face is just part acting. maybe this is what method acting talks about, junmyeon muses to himself later, as they take a break to have some food. he sits in between sunghwa and kanghyun, genuinely laughing at kanghyun’s jokes while the others look at them with smiles full of fondness more than laughter at the joke. kyungah later brings this up too— _oppa, your and kanghyun oppa’s sad humour codes match too well_ —and all junmyeon can do is laugh, eyes lost in the way kyungah’s eyes twinkle and lips curl up into a grin, sneaky and just on the side of sharp. 

it’s before his first show with her that in between the low buzzing anxiety and nervousness under his skin, make-up yet to be finished, that kyungah pulls him aside. they hide inside an empty dressing room as the rest of the halls bustle, an hour till the show begins. 

one of her hands rests on his shoulder as the other cups his cheek. ‘oppa,’ her voice is softer than usual, but still as sure, as firm as ever, ‘it’s going to be okay, you’ll do well, you’ve practiced hundreds of times for this, i’ve seen you, you’ll be amazing.’

junmyeon nods, he _can_ do it, he knows, it’s just the nerves, the anxiety that always remains and- 

and kyungah is kissing him, lips pressed gently against his until junmyeon opens up, brain kicking back in and focusing in on her. he lets himself melt away, lets the excess of the anxiety run off his shoulders while the rest of it settles comfortably in his body in a good nervous tension to keep him present and attentive during the show. 

there’s an understanding between them when they pull apart, junmyeon much more calm now, and kyungah seeming even brighter—she’s glowing, she’s _always_ glowing, so beautiful.

‘let’s go?’ she asks, and junmyeon replies with _let’s kill it_ , making kyungah laugh. she wraps an arm around his waist and he drapes his arm over her shoulders as they make their way back to reality, to get ready to go on stage.

 

-

 

jung sunghwa’s existence is almost god-like to junmyeon. one of the most versatile actors, winner of seven best actor awards, someone junmyeon wants to become like—can only hope to be as good as sunghwa one day. and now, junmyeon gets to act with him, be on stage and sing with him.

he stumbles through the first greeting, but sunghwa’s so warm and accepting, that it puts junmyeon’s anxiety on a simmer.

from the first read through, junmyeon wants to prove himself, but with each mistake, the taste of small failures stings and burns his tongue. at the end, as he has to rush through, he feels a hand on his shoulder, warm and heavy, in a comforting way.

‘you have good potential, junmyeon-ssi,’ sunghwa says, and for a moment, junmyeon’s breath is caught, somewhere in between his chest and windpipe.

‘junmyeon, sunbae-nim,’ he replies, once his breath comes back to him. ‘please speak comfortably with me,’ he adds on with a small bow.

and sunghwa smiles back, laughing softly as he nods. ‘okay then, junmyeon-ah, i look forward to seeing the potential develop in you.’

‘thank you, sunbae-nim,’ junmyeon replies, with another bow.

when sunghwa pats his shoulder and leaves, he adds on - ‘call me hyung, junmyeon-ah. let’s get to know each other better.’

junmyeon nods, maybe just a bit too eagerly, but it’s okay, he thinks later on, he wants to cherish this acknowledgement from his senior, from _jung sunghwa_ , of all people.

with each practice that they share, junmyeon learns something from sunghwa—whether it’s just through watching sunghwa practice, or getting actual tips from him. and during every ride back home, back to the dorms, or to his next schedule, junmyeon replays the advice in his head again and again until it’s embedded in his memory and under his skin, till he can put it out on display within seconds.

at the curtain call of his last show with sunghwa, he holds onto his hyung a bit closer, cries only when they’re backstage again.

the hug sunghwa gives is as warm as ever, and the happiness lingers on as he whispers into junmyeon’s ear, ‘i’m so proud of you junmyeon-ah, you did well.’

somewhere between the practices and runs and dress rehearsals and shows, junmyeon fell deep into his character, deep into the life of gywnplaine and his pain, and sunghwa’s responses, ursus’s responses, hit that much more closer.

so all junmyeon can really do is hold back his tears, hug sunghwa back, and just hope to get to work with him again one day.

 

-

 

kanghyun is awkward when he approaches junmyeon, regular greetings done, and only ways to address each other left to really figure out.

‘i’m the hyung, right?’ kanghyun asks, one hand slightly scratching the back of his neck, and junmyeon cuts the awkwardness short with a quick nod-

‘yes, sunbae too, in fact, with musicals,’ junmyeon replies, smiling brightly at the actor sitting next to him. kanghyun smiles easier with that, although still awkwardly patting junmyeon’s shoulder with a - ‘call me hyung only.’

in the car, on the way back to his dorm in the night, he searches up kanghyun’s name to familiarize himself with the actor’s past work - it’s always interesting to do so, he finds. the variety of musicals kanghyun has done, his growth in short few years since his debut, is amazing, something junmyeon too wants to try.

at the next practice, tagging along with kyungah, who’s acted alongside kanghyun multiple times, junmyeon too begins to spend more time with kanghyun. during the first few ones, they’re all there, familiarizing themselves with the movements and the music. it also always helps to see others’ interpretations of the shared character, learn something new—there’s always _so_ much to learn, and junmyeon can feel the eagerness and excitement mix and buzz on the pads his fingertips.

he brings up a past musical - one that kyungah has also acted in - in their downtime in between the morning and evening practice, and the stories break open.

junmyeon sits back and enjoys, watching the words bounce back and forth between kyungah and kanghyun, small jokes breaking in between as kyungah scrunches her nose and narrows her eyes and kanghyun laughs all alone until junmyeon also grins, giving support. there’s something really cute about kanghyun’s small pauses when he talks - taking a few seconds every once in a while to form the words properly - and junmyeon finds himself drawn to it.

with discussions about gwynplaine, reviewing each other’s practices, gaining insight from the different directors and seniors, junmyeon finds himself worming a space in kanghyun’s heart. and seeing kanghyun open up to him is an amazing sight, the little jabs and seemingly endless chatters that spill out - smiles just on the edge of flirting, words hinting at something more - junmyeon can’t help but respond in a similar manner.

on days that he can see kanghyun’s energy running low, junmyeon fits himself next to kanghyun, offering shoulder massages and lame jokes, tacking on teasing “hyung-nim~” at the end. the small smiles he gets in return, tension slipping out of kanghyun’s shoulders, is more than worth it. and just like that, at the curls of kanghyun’s lips as he smiles and the crow’s eyes that appear with the wider grins, junmyeon gives a piece of himself to kanghyun too.

it’s the day before their presscall, after their practices are over, that junmyeon finds him and kanghyun hanging behind, still running through the expression of some lyrics for the scenes tomorrow. junmyeon takes a seat in the corner of the practice room, script heavy in his hand, as he watches kanghyun sing and soar and gwynplaine burst through - the pain, the longing, the anger, so raw and hitting his heart directly.

‘hyung,’ junmyeon’s a bit breathless even after just sitting through it, ‘hyung, you’re amazing–’

‘ah, junmyeonnie-’

‘yes, hyung-nim?’ the tease comes back, eyebrow just slightly quirking up, lips turning up too, into a small smile, as junmyeon watches the praise loosen up kanghyun, making him glow, even with tiredness clinging to his skin and eyes.

‘you’re too kind, are you this nice with everyone? you’re so,’ kanghyun pauses, sitting down opposite junmyeon. ‘so good.’

junmyeon laughs, still somehow breathless, and doesn’t think twice before leaning in close, hand cupping kanghyun’s cheek and then waiting—

‘is this okay, hyung?’ he asks, just to be sure.

and kanghyun waits only for five seconds, a small contemplation, before he leans in to close the distance and kiss junmyeon.

the next day, at the presscall interview, they’re asked to tell what makes each actor’s gwynplaine stand out and junmyeon perks up.

‘my gwynplain’s charm is in his innocence - because i am the youngest, so there’s an innocence that comes through, isn’t that so, hyung-nim?’ he teases kanghyun, words curling and eyes mischievous.

kanghyun barely holds back his laugh as he thinks back on last night, tired but determined hands exploring bodies, junmyeon’s mouth wrapped around his cock, getting him off in one of his shortest times since his early teens.

‘innocence-’ he speaks as he takes the mic from junmyeon, smiling as his hand finds it way onto junmyeon’s thigh. ‘that’s true, but saying it from his own mouth is a bit-’

 _especially considering last night_ , kanghyun leaves that unsaid as junmyeon giggles, head leaning down and hands fidgeting with his scarf. he knows it all too well, plays this all too well, and kanghyun likes it all too much.

**Author's Note:**

> pls love my amazing musical actors, i'm always up to talk about them on my twt!! @taecdae, pls hmu
> 
> if anyone's interested, i'd be up for exploring his relationship with some more actors from the cast (or even his earlier cast for 'the last kiss' tbh)


End file.
